


The Gifts of Egypt

by Nocturnal_Daydreams



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: (do you know how many sources it took me to be canon compliant?), Canon Compliant, Egypt, Funny, Gen, Hilarity Ensues, Locking people in tombs in Egypt, One Big Happy Weasley Family (Harry Potter), Weasley Family, multi-chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2019-07-15 22:54:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16073069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nocturnal_Daydreams/pseuds/Nocturnal_Daydreams
Summary: In some weird twist of fate after what had likely been the hardest year to date for The Weasley Family they win The Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw and decide it's time for all the Weasley's to see Egypt and for the younger siblings to get to see their older brothers. But this is a Weasley Affair so nothing is allowed to go to plan, right?





	1. The Lead Up

When Molly and Arthur visited Bill without the rest of the family on the Christmas of 1992 it was very bittersweet. They had loved having time away, alone on days that Bill had work and it was almost a second honeymoon. To add onto that they had finally time to give their eldest some great love and attention – sometimes to Bill’s own dismay as he realised even being an ‘adult’ didn’t mean he would avoid Molly’s howler-like lectures. However to every sweet there was a bitter, they missed the gang together – Bill included – and seeing some great things would set off a thought like ‘Percy would love this’ finding something for each of their kids. They knew they couldn’t afford to take everyone and for now that was fine.

Then, around Easter the thought occurs to Arthur as he’s reading the paper before he sets off to work.

“The Daily Prophet, that’s it!”

“What’s what, Arthur?” she says, giving him a sly kiss on the cheek as she sets down a pot of tea and makes a drink for herself.

“The Daily Prophet Draw. If we ever won, we could take all of them to see Egypt.” His eyes lit up as he lifted them from the newspaper and hers sparked alight as she listened to him. 

She nodded and added, “Fantastic. We can enter one per family member right? We’ll do that and hope for the best.”

“Great!”

“Arthur.” She continued sternly, “We lose this though, we don’t do it again. We can’t afford that.”

He wasn’t happy for but was in the need of planting his feet firmly back on the ground, he agreed nonetheless and kissed his wife as he went to work that morning. He didn’t envy her tending to the garden since the gnomes had been so reckless recently and tried to think of gnomes when he thought of the draw as if to ward away high hopes should they be dashed.

After a long wait the draw opened and everyone entered on behalf of The Weasley’s – the kids and Arthur and Molly, Harry donated his to Ron and Hermione to Ginny after clearing up that it was within the rules to do so (by Hermione of course) , hoping it would give them ample chance. There was a downside that came with that though. Ron insisted that should it be Harry’s donation he should be able to come, his house-life as it was. Unfortunately, Harry wasn’t their child and both the muggle and wizarding set of Children’s Services needed vast improvement. There would be no way to take Harry. Hermione had been petrified and their own baby girl hidden almost to haunt the castle forevermore – it was becoming more and more tempting to take anyone they could but they tried hard to remember that there would be other times to help Harry or coddle Hermione.

There was nothing bittersweet or half-assed about when they won though. The end of school year day, they heard Ginny would be okay, Hermione un-petrified, Harry and Ron heroes and a post flew in. It was almost tentative, scared perhaps the train had derailed since all the news was far too good. Slowly they read and finally Arthur picked up Molly in a hug and spun her round the room. Molly didn’t know Arthur could still do that to her. He yelled happily and she broke into ecstatic tears. For once, financially, something had gone right with The Weasleys. It was some sort of miracle, a gift from Merlin himself. 

They saw the winning slip and some hidden guilt was taken off their shoulders as Ron’s scruffy handwriting showed “The Weasley Family”. There was still plenty of guilt even when Harry himself told them he couldn’t anyway and that he was fine but had it been his slightly more legible handwriting there would be every temptation to not take it and pass it to Harry. Harry had laughed at the idea.

“You won’t even take a single galleon from me and you expect me to take 700 from you?” He replied with a straight face but a light of mischief let them know that while he was being silly he would never take the money. It was hard to leave him behind but Dumbledore had took Percy aside when he heard about them entering and told them that Harry needed to go home to survive, that it was to do with Lily’s love and family. When Molly had heard she made sure to keep him off but grumbled plenty how it was impossible because that family didn’t know how to love. 

Any time after that that someone mentioned Harry ‘going home’ she’d gather a face like thunder but say not a thing.

Thankfully, Hermione was easier as her parents had mentioned the South of France several times.

She tried to shake him from her mind as she begun packing everyone’s things. Between Percy trying to pack sweater-vests and Ron neglecting to pack at all she knew it would be best to do so for them before they all got home. The flights were booked and honestly the thought of muggle flights sounded terrifying. Between thinking of flights and Harry she was mentally tiring herself. She made some tea and sat at the table and looked out over the land.

A thought occurred to her and she got out a letter and began to write;

 

“To my darling boy Charlie,

For the love of Merlin pack that shirt I gave you or at least one that’s not singed by dragons. I love you kids but I’m glad at least some of you are grown up. But why are all the boys that are hard to pack for the younger ones? See you there.

Love, Mum

PS. Do not tell me you singed the one I gave you”

She sent him a second page with the details of how to book his flight. It was a nice rest before she started again and worrying about packing, it also reminded her that worrying about packing was much less tiring than worrying about Harry and Ginny and Hermione. So much had gone wrong and she had a feeling that this was just the start of it. During Ginny being missing and Hermione petrified they came to the arrangement of keeping tabs on each other, support each other – Harry and Hermione included. This would not happen again while she still breathed.

Now fate had given them this money for the holiday and dammit if she wasn’t able to make sure they forgot about the last school year she was at least going to try.

What Molly wasn’t to know was 3 out of the 4 boys had repacked once she had finished and it was going to make for one hell of a trip.

“Are we altogether?” She shouted back as she moved forward and heard a chorus of ‘yes’. Something was wrong though, one was missing and upon hearing the family was all going together Hermione had insisted in her watching Home Alone. For the first while she wasn’t sure if the bushy-haired young girl was insisting to remember all of her children but as the rest of the film’s premise came into play she realised what she had told her about this for. It was telling her to keep on her toes on holiday and that she would. She turned at such velocity they all nearly walked into her.

“What’s wrong mum?” Ginny asked innocently… too innocently. Yes, she was definitely back to herself.

“Where is George?” She said having analysed the group. They all shrugged and Fred smirked. Thinking quickly she shrugged and answered, “Fine, we were going to grab a bite to it but since you’ve evidently ate him none of you will need anything, I’m sure.”

The kids groaned, Percy answered, “Wait, wait, he’s in the toilets.”

“I expected Ron to sell us out for food but not you!” Fred exclaimed.

“I’m a growing man, sue me.”  
“Trust me, we will should we need to.” George answered, finally back from the loos with a laugh.

“Yeah, c’mon Perce, we are waiting till you start raking it in.” Fred moaned.

“Bring in your own money.” Percy retorted.

“Can we wait until we find some food?” Ron said.

“Sure, Ronnie-kins.” Both the twins cooed much to Ron’s annoyance.

This was already going to be a long holiday, Molly nearly started regretting it.

Ginny dropped her bag loudly, as if to make a point. All eyes very quickly went to her – not just of The Weasley’s – but of person in the surrounding vicinity. Percy was going to tell her how making a scene made her a spectacle but as if reading his mind she raised her eyebrow at him to consider how what they had been doing was any different. He kept his mouth shut. Finally, she whined, “It is too early in the morning for this.”

It was her sentiment but also an act, Ginny did not whine since… possibly, ever. It was a play that she was told by Harry during one of the lunches at the year – that with so many brothers it’s like people, muggles especially, expected them to be spoilt; which was rarely the case. She started to move as if to make an over tired fuss and Arthur thought on his feet.

“C’mon, Ginny, you’ve had a long night. One of you boys piggyback her and we’ll go get some food.” Arthur insisted and Ginny almost laughed but held her cool, she committed to the act by making a sad face and rubbing her eyes. Apparently this was enough for the surrounding folk to write this girl off as a regular spoilt ‘muggle’ child. Percy put her on his back and they headed off for food before the flight.


	2. Methods of Transportation

Time flew by, if you’ll pardon the pun, and soon it was time to board the flight. They were glad to have had some warning via Hermione about planes on how they worked how to react. The plane was small-ish and they were cramped but it was something they were used to. All of them supported one another when the plane set off and didn’t try to crack jokes until they were up in the air.

They were all under serious orders to be as muggle as possible, portkey’s only went so far and it was much easier to take a 5 hour flight. Ginny immediately buried herself in a nice book Hermione had lent her – a muggle book that despite the main character being a young girl in a children’s home and no relatives to speak of, she felt really reflected her as a character. Hermione told Ginny that Tracy Beaker was one of her favourite books and that she hoped there’d be more of them. She was a chapter in already and adored it. The other boys left her to it and went between themselves. Percy began to study, Arthur ordered a drink, Molly practised muggle-knitting, Ron opened up an activity pack of colouring – he didn’t love it or hate it but it would keep the twins from dragging him in to any air-brained schemes he knew they were concocting. That wasn’t to say he didn’t ever so slightly eavesdrop and make a mental note that if he was only with them and Percy to make a dash to find more company. 

Molly soon got annoyed with accidentally missing stitches on her knitting and put it down. She noticed another lady, incidentally getting absolutely pissed on plane wine who started talking and soon the women were gossiping like some intense game of Chinese whispers. It always blew Arthur’s mind just how quickly Molly got on with just about anyone. It took 3 drinks that he got into joining in – he had said bits and bats but as his inhibitions lowered he felt more comfortable to talk and tried to remember his training on what to talk to muggles about. After a little while longer he decided to forgo the training   
and just follow his wife’s lead. It seemed that any time he got it wrong anyway she’d pinch him in the side anyway.

It was half way through the flight when someone noticed the twins had disappeared. Of all the people to notice it was Ginny who looked up from the book and asked where the boys had gone and just as Molly was about to flip her lid the boys came back from the last section of the plane with a bunch of drinks and sweets.

“Fred, George – how?” She said quietly as her eyes narrowed.

Both boys gave a (debatably) sincere, innocent smile as George replied, “Me and Fred exchanged some money with Seamus at school.”

Molly smiled, nodded and even thanked the boys and everyone took bits and bats. This proved how drunk Molly was also getting on the plane wine. Ginny went back to reading as Molly went back to talking and everyone thanked their lucky stars as their mum had not asked if the exchange rates were fair. They quite obviously were not. Percy and Ron were feeling abit uneasy about having drinks that the boys had bought but Percy leaned over to Ron and whispered, “They wouldn’t do anything on a plane or we’d never be allowed to go abroad again. Even if we could afford it.”

Hesitantly they both took a sip and reassured the drinks were fine, finally relaxed. This was the only truce zone and Ron would miss it once it once it was gone. He found he liked planes.

That was until the 4th hour of the plane ride when everyone, not only the Weasleys didn’t like planes for a while. The plane hit some moderate turbulence but to some people who hadn’t flown before it was genuinely sickening. They weren’t the only first time fliers by the look of things either; more than a handful of people besides them actually looked worried and even those who seemed less concerned had grabbed the hands of those sat next to them, whether they knew them or not.

Then Fred heard someone behind them say to their significant other, “It’s going to be fine, I promise. Don’t worry. The air cabin crew are in the back. They’re not sat down and they don’t look scared. We have nothing to worry about.”

He looked towards the back of the plane and sure enough they were right – 3 members of cabin crew were stood in the last section, one fixing the others cravat and the other making sure the cupboard doors were closed. He passed the message he heard from behind him onto everyone else and everyone physically began to relax. There were still another 5 minutes of turbulence after but once in a while one of them would look out for a cabin member, nod to the rest of the family and a forced calm would reside over them once more.

Thankfully not long after that the plane landed. It landed well and as the plane hit the ground people from the front began to cheer. Some people all around rolled their eyes but they all roared a cheer to which a few laughed lightheartedly at. They made their way off and followed anyone in front of them – with the exception of the exceptionally drunk lady from the plane who found the land hadn’t quite agreed with her alcohol levels and had rushed to the toilets.

Soon though, they found themselves at baggage claim, using people’s first moves as an indicator on how to go about it all. Percy could spot some other wizards on first travel and muggles on first trips as they also glimpsed at the first person to pick up their luggage and mentally noting how to do it. Each family member insisted on dragging their own off the conveyor belt and it had become close to empty by the time they finished. Which was fine by them because then Ron and Ginny sat on the conveyor as it rode along. Fred and George were tempted to follow but Percy nudged and indicated the security guard giving them a look like he was going to come for them and being in Egypt he had something they hadn’t seen in a long time if ever. A gun, a long gun, an assault rifle if they weren’t wrong, held calmly in his arms. Something about seeing that felt terrifying, they wouldn’t risk anything.  
The room began to fill again with a different flights passengers rushing to a conveyor that had been running a while.

Rather than think over that though the twins and Percy ushered out Ginny, Ron, their mum and their dad quickly without causing a fuss or pointing out the guard. With the walkway out having so many twists and turns they almost got lost. They were going to say it as they got to the main doors when there, stood in front of them, with a cardboard sheet with the family name written in big letters, was Bill and Charlie. The family rushed into a giant huddled hug which began to be pushed around by people leaving from a different flight. It practically became a conga line as they went around different obstacles leaving the airport taking a left and a right and 3 lefts and 2 rights and so much walking until they had gone pretty far away. So far in fact it was a field a 10 minute walk away from the nearest part of Cairo Airport Car Park. Nearly everyone had had enough. They were half expecting and dreading a port key as with so much luggage it’d be hard to make sure it all got there safe. But they passed the field, the short, dry grass scratching at their ankles and found a gift shop. It was very odd and out of place. They walked in and the cashier gave Bill a nod, they walked through to what looked like the back part and Bill began pressing random sections of the tiled wall. They had heard Diagon Alley had this but hadn’t been through one before today. The excitement of it buzzed through them like they may bounce straight through the way.

With one last press on a particularly dull blue tile the wall began collapsing on itself to the sides, manoeuvring for them and through it they saw the biggest Wizarding city this side of the northern hemisphere, debatably the entire world, Egypt’s own secret city.

Almost hesitantly they walked through the gateway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so busy couple of weeks, I wanted this done last week but I got real rushed. I also cannot look up if airport conveyers were widely used in 1992 so I did what I can.  
> I like this chapter, again another build up but I liked playing on how they were when they acted as muggle as possible. Now they're in the secret city however, they can pump up the fun.
> 
> (also irl note; as a frequent-ish flier with a panic reaction to bad turbulence, the thing about cabin crew I've found to be real calming so like, life tip for you there)


	3. High Streets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah just I like the 90s colours everywhere, I will be adding a new chapter soon cos I love this but I thought this was best finished in the marketplace.

It became abundantly apparent almost immediately that Khem wasn’t immune to the colour explosion that was the muggle 90’s. In fact it was more prominent here than it was in England. It had been the first time in a long time that any of the Weasleys were under coloured. It really was no surprise Bill loved it, he took his mum’s fashion to heart and enjoyed wearing very random colours that wouldn’t suit anybody else. 

As they got in Bill insisted they piled the luggage and Bill glanced at his watch. Within a few seconds it vanished.

“Made friends with the hotel, didn’t I?” He laughed when the shocked and slightly worried glances directed at him. They nodded, hoping he was right and went about their business.

“So why is it called Khem?” Ron asked, curious in just about everything – secretly trying to remember everything to tell his friends once they were back at home.

“It’s an homage to Ancient Egypt, it used to be a city and since Egypt has been one of the magical hubs of the world since that time they thought it only appropriate. Bit funny though because it wasn’t pronounced Khem.” Bill responded looking at the markets currently set up. 

Percy let out a quick laugh and the twins looked at each other, whispering, “Positively hysterical.”

A swift tug on their hair at the back had each of them looking back suddenly looking very solemn when it was their dad, not their mum who had give them their warning. 

Arthur Weasley allowed a lot but as a passionate man himself he didn’t abide knocking peoples passions and they knew any defence of it being the soft joke they intended wouldn’t keep them in the good books they kept quiet a while.

It seemed no one had noticed what had been said besides the three of them anyway as Bill put Ginny on his shoulders despite her defences of being too old. The grin she shined said she missed it anyway. Charlie had all but sprinted to a care of creatures shop and Ron, Percy and Molly seemed to all be entranced by the same shop. 

“A real life flying carpet shop.” Ron whispered. It was like all his dreams come true. Later he would tell Harry he found it surprising that the 3 of them all seemed to be bewitched by this one product but legends did have their way of connecting a diversity of people.

While they also seemed to want to join but knew looking at the incredibly expensive shop may only give them very illegal carpet-making ideas, the twins decided to get their dad back on their side as they spotted a multi-coloured sweets shop.

From Ginny’s view up high she could see the sea of multicolour, patterns clashed even on the same shirts, cloaks that seemed to be made from any material, muggle shirts and denim shorts on random tourists. A little part of her wished Harry and Hermione had been here to see this. Nothing would be said between the whole family but they all seemed to wish the same thing, it was like missing a member of family… This was with the exception of Bill who wished they had been here because he was yet to meet them.  
She mentally shrugged off the thought as Bill nearly walked into a woman and Ginny nearly swayed straight off his shoulder. The woman looked up and visibly amused waved at Ginny. She looked so much like Angelina that Ginny almost froze. Her dark, warm skin, bright eyes, cheeky smile that Ginny knew any time she sat with the twins in Hogwarts; she could well be her if only a few years older if Ginny hadn’t known for a fact that Angelina was an only child. She let her smile take over and she waved back, saying, “I like your headscarf.”

She adjusted her sky-blue headscarf to make sure it was fitting properly and nodded thankfully. She gave a little wave to both Ginny and Bill as she made her way to whatever shop she was off to and Ginny tapped the top of Bill’s head.

“You should get after her, she’s pretty.” She laughed.

“Oi, you. That’s like mum.” He responded, above his head Ginny paled but he continued regardless, “Anyway, she’s not my type. Much more George’s type don’t ya think?”

Ginny thought on that as George made a mad dash over to them trying not to make a look at the lady who just passed, “Who was that?”

Both Ginny and Bill laughed, “Speaking of the devil!”

Fred eventually caught up and raised his eyebrows at the three of them, “Gonna mad dash everytime a pretty girl passes by, dear twin of mine?”

In an act so very un-George like he began blushing and said nothing. Ginny began saying who she looked like when Bill tugged on her foot a little as it dangled. She knew it would be her only warning before she got a spell to cover her mouth so she kept it closed willingly.

Fred went back to go get their dad and the sweets they bought, making their way back as the other Weasleys finally came to Bill and Ginny; Percy and Ron looking over their shoulders at the shop as if a sudden sale may start and Charlie up to his eyes in care products.

“Everyone take something from Charlie.” Molly sighed, shaking her head. His grin was verging on a smirk and she tapped him round the back of his head as they began walking towards where Bill insisted the hotel was.

“Can we not go see the Pyramids first?” 

“Not a chance.” Molly said in a tone that wasn’t to be argued with. She had worried about that luggage for too long to not go check on it, they were in too warm stuff for Egypt in the middle of summer and last but not least they all needed a shower and a metric ton of sunscreen.


	4. Local Food and The Family Traitor

They piled into their rooms, 2 to each with the exception of Bill who was staying at his new home. Ginny had pleaded to stay there too but Bill’s very Weasley affinity of going out and causing mayhem at night meant even he was against the idea. The twins were - as usual, staying together; Charlie and Ron were put together and   
as were Percy and Ginny. As Ginny was young the last time they went out ‘on holiday’ (to South of England) it had been surprisingly amiable, Ginny was mad for sleep and Percy was quiet when he read books so it fit like jigsaw pieces. Now however…

It seemed a good fit for everyone to at the current moment just get changed and meet by the pool. Until they come down in their swimwear and re-remember how boiling it is. It becomes an amass of everyone putting sun-cream on each other or themselves and double checking everyone’s cover-ups lay in Molly’s giant colourful tote bag. Bill debated trying to look cool and not put any on but then remembers the first day he had off of work and how he moved like a robot for 4 solid days afterwards. The thought plaguing his mind, he doubled up on the cream.

Then the agonising wait of letting the cream sink in came. It was one rule that went unbroken for 7 years as it was something that was never left unpunished. Charlie had been the last one to break it and Molly had spelled his hand stuck to the deck until the cream sank in, still dripping wet from the water he had jumped in moments before.

It was adhered to without debate now.

That, however, meant that every second was taking forever. By the time most of them were ready to throw caution to the wind Molly tapped Ginny on the back. It was a sign the family were used to by now, so all of them darted and jumped into the pool.

Hours slid by like the moving of sand dunes until it was nearly dinner time and everyone went up to change then headed off down backstreets, lagging behind Bill as he swerved in and out until a street that looked suspiciously close to the hotel (considering the long walk) had a side door painted purple, red and yellow. Bill held the door open for them and told them this was the best Ful Mudames in all of Khem and likely the whole of Northern Egypt. This made sense to none of them as they had never heard of it but it was a fantastic dish full of fava beans and hard boiled egg which went down amazingly until Fred cropped up, saying, “You’re really layering on the fart foods aren’t you?”

One by one, pairs of eyes slyly made their way over to Ron who was sat shovelling the food and when his mum wasn’t looking Charlie began making obscene gestures at the older brother as he was trying to mouth back sorry.

Ginny was the one to surprise them as she passed a note down to Charlie what was clearly a spell. As Ron made his way to the toilet Charlie asked her, “What’s this Gin?”

“A spell, from Hermione. To keep the air smell away once he starts farting.” She gave a pointed look at the twins and mimicked an explosion sign with her hand to signify stink bombs. Charlie nodded.

The twins however didn’t have their eyes away long, “Did someone mention our bookworm princess?”

Their talking in sync was abnormally higher in pitch when it was intentionally meant to piss people off. However Charlie had a drink down him and a new defence against Ron’s unconscious digestive system, so he only laughed. Ginny only glared, “You know she’d kill you for saying that. Are you two ever not eavesdropping?”

They looked at each other then to Ginny.

“Nope.”  
“Nope.”  
“Nope.”

Both had said it together naturally and this time Ginny joined in - an evil smile on her face as she finished saying Nope and began a different word, “…Jinx.”

Fred looked impressed but George looked not happy, Charlie could tell George was berating himself for not seeing it coming but the twins went to eating, following the rules of the long-played often forgotten game. Ginny basked in her sweet victory while she could.

Before 5 minutes was over however Molly had broken their jinx as they pretended they couldn’t hear. Fred smirked at Ginny and she logged a mental note to make sure they weren’t around their mum next time.

“So when do we get to go adventuring?” Ron asked Bill.

“Tomorrow, early. So an early night for us all. Today at least.” He replied and with that Arthur nodded at him and in an instant all of the other siblings knew this had been planned between him and the parents. They instantly felt betrayed by their eldest and Bill could only shrug at the eye daggers that stuck to him like glue.

Bill deliberately did not look anywhere besides his bowl for the rest of the meal and said nothing else. The look of fury throughout finished and they all finished their meals and Ron and Percy under the guise of being young, growing boys polished off anyone’s plate who’s wasn’t licked clean. Ginny thanked her lucky stars Percy had an over-polite habit of heading to the toilet to do so much as fart or burp. She also wondered if it might drive his future soulmate insane. She assumed so.

The man who had served them before came out to ask if they had wanted desserts and quick, worried eye contact between each other agreed everyone was full so Arthur answered, “No, we’re all full. Thank you, it was delightful.”

“Fantastic!” The man replied, chuckling, emphasising the wrong words but with such good use of English that the Weasley’s were impressed, “It seems your family has the same habit as you for eating breakfast for dinner!”

“WHAT?!” Everyone answered in shock, looking at Bill who looked at his empty bowl once again pretending as if there was something interesting worth concentrating on and hadn’t heard everything else. 

Meanwhile someone else was taking advantage of the surprise of the rest as George shouted, “JINX!”

Ginny looked disappointed with herself, Arthur and Molly shocked they had fell for something that as parents they had avoided well for time immemorial, Percy and Fred looked betrayed and Ron was struggling to keep his laughter silent. 

Bill looked up with a smile but George only shook his head about as serious as George at 13 could be, “You owe us one for making us look like twits, Bill.”

“I…. Fine, fine. I will.” Bill conceded, the bill was paid by Bill, Molly, Arthur and Charlie and the quietest the family had been possibly ever, they made their way back to the hotel, George making faces at Ron to try and force the laugh loud while looking at him mock-seriously when he did so much as wheeze, eventually after a lot of silent persuasion and stares George un-jinxed them all.

“Better, Fred?”

“George, I will make you pay for that.”

“But, as twins, if you hurt me you’ll hurt too.”

“Oh, I’ll live.” Fred’s eyes narrowed and George wondered for a moment if Fred really was going to get revenge. But the moment passed and vengeance was aimed back at Bill as Molly and Arthur sent them off to their rooms and they remembered it was Bill’s fault - but as they looked for him they realised he had dashed home at the mere mention and a sibling pact was made to get revenge on The Traitor.

That would have to wait until morning though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it has been christmas then dates and a boyfriend (woahhh) then new years then my birthday then a work deadline but Finally FINALLY I have got some writing time  
> Today has been mixed I finally finished this chapter but I also launched myself face-first over the handlebars of my scooter on the way to work. (I am fine, just abit grazed)


	5. Correspondence

The sun shone early as it did almost every day in Khem and the twins went downstairs to work on inventions by the pool while Molly got breakfast and decided for once not to interrupt the twins peace in the hopes they also wouldn’t disturb hers. Charlie snored softly as Ron began writing a letter. It was the first letter he had composed that was entirely him and he was glad he started it early cos from picking up the quill alone he knew this would take a while.

 

_Hey Harry,_

_I don’t know if you’ll be able to write back this year but we won’t be able to save you. I wish you’d have come with, it would be loads better!_

_Not that the holiday isn’t fun but you’re my best bud yknow._

_I’m sending this only a day in but I’m filling the next letter with Egyptian treats._

_You should see the colours here, you would love it._

_We’re coming here when we get jobs, it’s so cool – I can show you all the sights. Bill hasn’t taken us around any yet though._

_I feel weird writing this, am I bragging or am I letting you in on the holiday? Tell me, alright?_

_Writing letters is hard, Harry, but you are the coolest friend in the world so I will manage it!_

_Look forward to 1 a week until I’m home._

_From Ron._

  1. _Should I get Hermione to help me write letters that don’t suck? Or is that the heat playing with my head?_



He read over it. It wasn’t amazing, there were splotches on very random letters but Ron felt a little proud. It sounded like he did. However, it was then he realised it was pretty far away and getting a local owl to send it to a housing estate full of muggles wasn’t incredibly likely.

 

Without a clue what to do he left the letter in his case and went down for breakfast. He wasn’t quite aware of just how crest-fallen he looked but began to realise as the twins left him be with no more than a wave. It seemed like they knew why too and Ron didn’t know if that reassured him or annoyed him.

 

He decided on reassured as he realised the absence of Harry felt like they had all left a family member behind.

 

Ron did what he thought would make him feel better, have a ridiculously big breakfast.

 

He was getting close to completing the enormous meal when Arthur sat beside him and pat him on the shoulder.

 

“You missing your buddies?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“It sucks. I’m sorry Ron. But I may have found something good! So I found a ‘Yellow Pages Phonebook’. And I found 4 Privet Drive phone number and you can get Harry to send Hedwig to the Trade Station. You could have a talk while you’re at it! Apparently there’s a phone at the front desk.” Arthur told him, watching his face light up.

 

Due to a severe lack of knowledge on how phones work during 1993 – an ability Ron would not understand until the year 2000 – and an overactive excitement to hearing from his friend, Ron didn’t even consider who would pick up the phone until a gruff angry voice shouted, “Hello?”

 

Ron wasn’t quite what to say or do so he went with the truth but by merlin’s beard he wish he hadn’t. Several minutes passed and Ron only stood stock still, listening to Harry’s Uncle Vernon lose his temper. He shot the receptionist a worried look, hoping, begging, pleading they would save him from the odd angry man. The receptionist gave him a sympathetic smile and pressed a button down; immediately silencing Harry’s Uncle Vernon.

 

“How did you do that?”

 

“I ended the call, it’s called hanging up.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Cos,” The receptionist took the phone off him, “Usually you put it down, like this – and usually phones are stuck up on a section so you’d hang the phone on the hold-up.”

 

Ron’s mind was blown! “And that’s a muggle thing?!”

 

“Yep.” The receptionist nodded and without another word dashed away writing a shorter letter.

 

_To Hermione,_

_Will write a long letter soon but for now only a warning; DO NOT CALL HARRY’S PLACE. Uncle is a screaming lunatic!_

_From Ron_

Then he sent his letter in owlmail to the trade station Hermione had told him about with the address she said she would be at.

 

He gave a long look at his letter to Harry, it was of no use if he couldn’t send it but he couldn’t really risk it. Still, he couldn’t let the letter go. Charlie was getting up as he decided and offered to keep it in his trunk to keep it safe till he could hand it over.

 

“So he knows you didn’t forget him.” Charlie reassured but Ron looked forlorn all over again and he realised it hit too close to home for the youngest boy and told him he would leave him to chill out.

 

That was the first letter of many to find its way into Charlie’s trunk that holiday from and for an array of different people that only got found on Charlie’s 30th birthday many, many years later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short one but I rewrote the chapter 5 twice, I like this one I'm gonna update soon (I said - let me promise you this now, if it has more than one chapter even if it seems a long while it may just be a little wait away)


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